7 Reasons Why You Should Interview at Least Once a Year

You should interview at another company at least once a year, even if you're happy in your current role. I even challenge my own team at BravePath to do this. Here are seven reasons why you should consider doing the same …

1 — Practice: Interviewing is a Skill

Yes Allen, even franchise players need to practice. While the skills of interviewing and salary negotiation are not needed in the performance of most jobs, they are essential to obtaining most jobs. 

And no one – no one – improves a skill they do not practice. 

Even if you don’t want to change jobs any time soon, that decision is never entirely within your power, and you should keep your interview skills sharp in case they become necessary. Even extensive experience interviewing other people is no substitute for sitting in the hot seat yourself. 

2 — Refresh and Review

There is no better forcing function for refreshing your resume and LinkedIn profile than having a job interview. Yes, updating your resume is the worst. But without an interview – or a terrible boss – for motivation, most of us will never do it. 

Then before you know it, years have passed, you don’t remember the outcome metric you were so proud of, and you’re diving through old emails at midnight to stitch together a compelling data point. 

Save yourself the trouble and do it once a year while it’s fresh. Better yet, make it part of an annual evaluation of your career. Are you fulfilled? Learning? Need a change?

3 — Learn

I'm not encouraging anyone to steal trade secrets or violate an NDA, but you can learn a lot in an interview just by interacting with another company. Being exposed to their interview questions, org chart, compensation plan, industry, or ways of working can help you benchmark and inspire you to improve. Sitting in the hot seat will also help you build some empathy for candidates you interview yourself and help you get your own processes right. 

4 — Network

Even if you don’t make a change, you will meet new talented people in your field or industry during the interview process. Connect with each of them on LinkedIn and stay in touch. They can be great resources when you need an external perspective or a helpful introduction. Who knows … one of them might even ping you a few months later about opportunities at your company.

5 — Find Out What You’re Worth

Have a nagging feeling that you’re not being paid what you’re worth? Think you’re already well-paid but would like to confirm? There’s no substitute for seeing a real job offer with your name on it. 

I’ve seen candidates who say they can’t change jobs because of a retention bonus or upcoming stock vest that my client would happily buy them out of with a signing bonus. Don’t apply imaginary golden handcuffs to yourself. 

6 — Appreciate Your Current Job

It’s human nature to make assumptions about what the grass looks like on the proverbial “other side.”  When that illusion dissolves, it can help you appreciate your current job even more. 

If you ask good questions in the interview process and critically evaluate the responses, you’ll have solid analysis to replace your speculation. And that could give you a whole new shot of appreciation and motivation without making a change.

7 — Land the Dream Job

You knew this was coming right? You might think you know what’s behind door number 2, but you can’t really know for sure unless you open it. And what if your dream job is on the other side? 

We rarely get to choose the timing of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Being open to conversations will give you many more shots on this ultimate goal. 

But I Don’t Want to Waste Anyone’s Time!

If you’re still not sold on my advice, my guess is you’re happy in your current role and worried about wasting the time of everyone involved in the interview process. 

There are simple solves for this:

1. Say it: Tell the recruiter and hiring manager you’re happy where you are and would have a very high bar for making a change, but are open to a conversation.
2. Mean it: Actually be open to the conversation. You can keep a very high bar and ask really good questions, but be genuinely open to making a change, however unlikely. 
3. End it: Being open minded doesn’t require you to blindly commit to the entire process. Give it a shot, but be willing to respectfully end it at any point when it turns ROI negative for you. 

If you can do these three things, then the potential employer has accepted the risk of investing time interviewing you. And I’ve already given you 7 reasons why it’s not a waste of your time. 

You Really Encourage Your Own Employees to Do This?

Yes. And it can be scary. But at least three of the reasons on my list benefit the current employer. More importantly, I should never be afraid of my team evaluating other opportunities. If I lose a top performer, it's either my fault for not providing the role and compensation needed to keep them OR that person has outgrown us and is ready for something bigger and/or different. 

If I genuinely care about my team the way I claim to, I will want what’s best for them, even if it means it’s time for them to move on. If in the process I gain a reputation as a leader who helps launch careers to all new levels, I’m okay with that. 

So … where are you going to interview this year? 

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My team and I recruit and coach product managers, designers and software engineers at all levels, and we give this advice regularly. I hope you accept the challenge to interview at least once in 2022. If you do, let me know how it goes! 

Have any questions? Agree or disagree with me? Add your thoughts in the comments.